Ma’am, the boss has sent a message. He has asked you to get ready for tonight’s party; he is on his way to pick you up.

A servant came to Arunima with this news. Arunima was sitting in the garden at that moment, but she wasn’t very surprised after hearing him. She already knew about it. Today was her wedding anniversary. For other girls this day might be special, but for Arunima, it wasn’t special at all. No happiness, no excitement. She was only wondering how much longer she had to stay in this meaningless marriage.

While looking at the blooming flowers in front of her, Arunima said in her mind,

“Today it has been exactly one year since my marriage with Aastik. For every wife this day is special, but not for me. This marriage was just a compromise for me, something I am carrying only to keep both families happy. I never wanted to stay in this marriage, and Aastik… he didn’t want this marriage from the very first day either.”

“Madam…”

The voice of the servant standing behind broke Arunima’s thoughts. She quickly came out of her thoughts and gestured for him to leave. The servant walked away. After walking in the garden for a while, Arunima made a beautiful bunch of flowers and kept strolling. In the warm noon sunlight and cool breeze, she felt a little relief. But even at this moment, her mind was filled with the same thoughts—one year she had spent here and the people she spent it with. Thinking about them, she said,

What a fate I have! I am the daughter-in-law of the biggest underworld family of this city. The Raichand family—people think a hundred times before even uttering their name. I am the wife of their eldest son, Aastik Raichand, who is the only owner of the mafia’s dark empire apart from the family and the company he runs.

Since childhood I had seen my father dealing with the underworld and mafia. And once I even thought that I would step into this world and understand it closely. But the dream of entering this world was with Dev. Aastik was never even a shadow in my dreams. But look at my fate! Aastik is the king of the mafia and I am the mafia’s lady queen. But no one would say by looking at me whether I even deserve to be here or not.

A year has passed and nothing has changed in my life. Aastik is still as distant as ever. And just like always, I know he is not interested in this marriage and not in me. Not that I wanted to stay in this marriage either. But still, I could at least expect a little respect from him. But he crushed that hope on the very first night of the wedding.

She remembers that on the wedding night, Aastik had told her: “Whether good or bad, you will have to obey everything I say.”

And for the past one year, Arunima has been obeying everything he says, like a puppet.

Many times I thought of separating from Aastik, but I had promised my father that I would keep this marriage. And because of that promise, I am still in this marriage. But somewhere in my heart, I have hope that if I don’t want to stay in this marriage, then Aastik must be forcing himself too. Why doesn’t he ask for a divorce? If he asks for it, I will gladly separate from him. Nothing could be a bigger gift for me.

In the beginning I thought that Aastik would give me divorce soon. But his intentions never seemed like that. I always wonder—when he is not happy after marrying me, why doesn’t he divorce me? But I could never gather courage to ask him this.

Lost in her thoughts, Arunima finally walked inside the mansion with the bunch of flowers she had made. As soon as she entered the house, she saw two maids standing there. These were her personal maids—Rosie and Julie.

Julie was the one who had gone to the garden to inform Arunima about Aastik’s message. And Rosie took care of Arunima’s every need. As soon as she entered the mansion, both maids stood before her with bowed heads. Arunima knew why they were standing there after receiving Aastik’s message. They were there to get her ready so she could go to her in-laws’ place. The anniversary party was being held there.

Arunima placed the flower bunch into a vase and looked at it lovingly. Apart from decorating the house, she had no other work to do.

As she climbed the stairs, Julie and Rosie followed her. Reaching the upper floor, Arunima walked past Aastik’s room. Yes, this was Aastik’s room. They had never shared a room. In the entire mansion, only Arunima’s room was hers, where she felt some peace. The rest of the mansion functioned only on Aastik’s terms.

When Arunima entered her room, she saw a large gift box kept on the bed.

Rosie came forward and said, “Madam, I’ll fill the bathtub for your bath.” But Arunima’s attention was completely on the gift box. She didn’t even hear Rosie properly.

Slowly she went to the box and opened it. As soon as she opened it, her eyes narrowed slightly. Inside was a black chiffon saree with diamond work.

When she lifted the saree in her hands, Julie quickly said, “Madam, this is such a beautiful saree. You will look very pretty in it.”

The saree truly was beautiful. The diamond work was real. Aastik was very rich, and his family was the richest in the city. So gifting his wife a diamond saree was not a big deal. Arunima already had many such expensive designer clothes—some she had even given away to servants without wearing them.

But when she picked up the blouse, her eyes widened and anger rose on her face. It belonged with the saree, but it was backless. Or rather, it had just a string at the shoulder. And the neckline was so deep that the cleavage would easily be exposed.

Arunima felt angry, but she controlled herself. Her body trembled with the anger building inside her.

By then, Rosie had also come out of the washroom and stood beside Julie. Holding the blouse tightly in her hand, Arunima said, “Both of you leave the room.”

“But madam, we have to get you ready…” Julie said, but before she could finish, Arunima shouted loudly, “I said go out!”

Both lowered their heads and left. Arunima clutched the blouse tightly. If she could, she would tear it to pieces. It felt like an insult. Her whole life had been controlled. What she should wear and how she should wear it—she was never asked. Aastik had never respected her or cared about her choices. He only imposed his orders.

Arunima wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. She had to get ready. Aastik would be home in half an hour, and she had to be ready before he arrived. He had already informed her he was coming. If she wasn’t ready, he would be angry. So she didn’t want to waste time. She quickly picked up the saree and blouse and went to the bathroom.

Rosie had already done all the arrangements for her bath, so Arunima didn’t take long. After bathing, when she came out wearing only the blouse and body shaper, Rosie and Julie returned to the room to prepare her for the party.

Arunima slowly draped the saree. Rosie styled her hair while Julie fixed the pleats.

When everything was done, Julie opened a small box beside the large one and took out a diamond jewelry set. It matched perfectly with the saree. Julie put the necklace around Arunima’s neck, and Rosie made her wear the earrings. Then Arunima picked up the vermilion box from the dressing table. Her hands trembled, and her eyes were fixed on the sindoor.

Every time she applied sindoor, her heart would pound. Though Aastik never noticed her bridal adornments. Whether she wore sindoor, mangalsutra, bangles or not—he never paid attention. But today, since she had to appear before others, she had to apply it. Otherwise, Arunima never used sindoor or any symbol of marriage in private.

After thinking for a long time and gathering courage, she finally took a pinch of sindoor and applied it to her hairline. It felt as if her incomplete appearance had been completed with it. Arunima was naturally beautiful, and the sindoor only enhanced her beauty. But behind this beauty lay an incomplete truth she always felt.

Julie straightened her hair with a pressing machine, and Rosie helped her wear the heels. Arunima looked at herself in the mirror. She looked perfect, exactly how a Raichand daughter-in-law should look.

She was absorbed in looking at herself when she heard the sound of a car. Her whole body tensed. She knew whose car it was. Three times the horn sounded at the mansion entrance. It wasn’t new. Every time she got this signal that Aastik had arrived.

Aastik’s car had entered the mansion. The driver, Tiwari, had honked three times to signal her. He was an elderly man who had been working for Aastik for years. Arunima was different in nature. The first time she called him “Bhaiya,” he realized she was not like other rich girls. Maybe that’s why he started using the horn as a signal for her.

With Aastik’s arrival, the entire atmosphere of the mansion turned tense. Arunima immediately sent Julie and Rosie out of the room. She straightened the bed sheet, adjusted the flowers, kept her phone in her bag, and looked at herself one last time. When she felt everything was in order, she began waiting.

Evening had fallen. The sun was setting outside the window, and darkness slowly spread. Her life had been like this for the past year.

Arunima stood nervously beside the bed when someone knocked on the door. She took a deep breath. A servant opened the door and said, “Madam, you are being called downstairs.”

Scared, Arunima composed herself and stepped forward. She thought, “This is the moment I have to face.” Acting like an ideal wife, she stepped out of her room.

Reaching the staircase, she lowered her face. She didn’t have the courage to look toward the hall. But when she slightly lifted her head, she saw Aastik standing near the sofa. He was the man who had never cared for her. Arunima wondered, “Why did he say yes to this marriage? My reason for marrying him was my parents. But he had no such reason. Then why did he marry me?”

Arunima slowly walked toward him. Aastik was wearing a black business suit. Even from behind, his personality looked very charming. As soon as she reached near him, Aastik turned and looked at her. Their eyes met.

Arunima’s face looked beautiful and glowing, but Aastik’s face showed no smile or emotion. As always, his face was expressionless. Arunima remembered seeing him smile only once—on their wedding day. Even then, it seemed like he was smiling only for the relatives and media. After the wedding, she never saw him smile again.

Aastik looked at the time on his watch and then at Arunima. His brown eyes were fixed on her. In the black suit, he looked nothing less than a black devil. Broad chest, biceps, perfect body—his personality was extremely attractive. But his perfection never made Arunima feel warmth or belonging.

When Aastik looked at her, neither a smile nor any reaction appeared on his face. His face remained expressionless.

He wasn’t always like this. Arunima had seen him smile—just once, at the wedding. And even then, she felt that smile was only for others, so they would think he was happy. After that day, he never lifted the corners of his lips again.

Arunima noticed he was already dressed. That meant he hadn’t come home to get ready. But this was nothing new. Aastik only came home for work because he mostly lived in his other house. And Arunima knew he didn’t live alone in that house.